Houston Ballet’s Sexy Peter Pan and Hunky Captain Hook Make This Dinner Night Beyond Enchanting
This is Definitely Not Just Another Revival
BY Shelby Hodge // 09.13.22
Houston Ballet principal Yuriko Kajiya, honorees Henry & Jean May, Houston Ballet artistic director Stanton Welch at the Houston Ballet Opening Night Onstage Dinner (Photo by Wilson Parish)
Oh, to have been seated at dinner next to Peter Pan or Captain Hook after their amazing performances at Wortham Theater Center. Alas, others among the 200 attending the Houston Ballet Opening Night Onstage Dinner earned table assignments that had them dining with Houston Ballet principals Charles-Louis Yoshiyama and Chase O’Connell, fresh from rollicking across the stage in the company’s revival of Peter Pan.
Yoshiyama was such a virile, muscular half-dressed Peter Pan (far more sexy than boyish) and O’Connell so devilishly charming as Captain Hook that . . . well, what can a girl say.
Whether one was seated with Peter Pan choreographer Trey McIntyre, principals Soo Youn Cho and Connor Walsh, Houston Ballet artistic director Stanton Welch, or less talented mortals, it was a splendid evening.
The very brief program began following standing ovations for the company and filled the spare moments required for setting the stage for dinner. Houston Ballet executive director Jim Nelson introduced the evening’s honorees, longtime ballet supporters Jean and Henry May, and the benefit chairs, Christine and David M. Underwood Jr. The soirée earned more than $210,000 for the company.
The evening was totally magical as guests moved from their red velvet seating in the theater to the stage where Never Never Land sets continued the enchantment. Adding to the fairy tale ambience was the table decor by Bergner & Johnson — a colorful homage to Act 1 with bubble linens topped with votive candles and varying high and low floral arrangements in shades of lavender and blue hydrangeas with pops of red roses.
Jackson & Company provided the three-course dinner centered with massive servings of short ribs (no trips to Whataburger necessary after this meal) and concluding with a heavenly almond and raspberry cake with baked meringue.
Elizabeth Anthony
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